Marc Pruett
Marc Pruett (born 19 August 1951) is an American bluegrass banjo player and a founding member of the bluegrass band Balsam Range since 2007.
Early life and education[edit]
Pruett was born on 19 August 1951, and grew up in the Osborne Farm area of Haywood County, North Carolina.[1][2] He graduated from Western Carolina University with a B.S. in Geology. At 15, his musical career started at Ghost Town, a theme park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, where he played banjo and bass for park visitors.[3]
Career[edit]
In 1973, Pruett made his first recording at Bill Monroe's festival in Bean Blossom, Indiana. Between that time and the present, Pruett has played with a number of bands, including Balsam Range, the Southern Lawmen, The Whites, Rock Springs Reunion, mountain clogging bands, and more.[4][3]
Recognition[edit]
In 2010, he was granted an honorary Doctorate of Arts by Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina "in recognition of [his] many achievements as a professional musician, and in appreciation for [his] support and love of the traditional culture of the Southern Appalachian Mountains".[5]
Pruett is a 2016 winner of the North Carolina Heritage Award and has played with Ricky Skaggs, Balsam Range and the Marc Pruett Band[4][5]
References[edit]
- ^ "This day in history". Boston Globe. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Balsam Range's Marc Pruett is a hard-working musician". Citizen Times. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
- ^ a b "Banjo Newsletter". Banjo Newsletter. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
- ^ a b "About The Band". Balsam Range. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
- ^ a b "2016 NC Heritage Awards - Bluegrass Today". Bluegrass Today. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2018-04-12.